Another month in rugby goes by and it only cemented the fact in my head that the Boks’ scrum is the best we’ve ever seen, but All black people one should not give up hope, once in possession, they can still reach parts that other parties cannot reach. Meanwhile, whisper but Australia perhaps soon to have the best lock in the world and closer to home, the Lloyds sponsorship is a powerful blow to English rugby in these cash-strapped times.
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The All Blacks can still leave you spellbound like no other team
Everyone has bad days. Regardless of career, we all have days when things don’t go quite as planned. But the difference between the All Blacks and normal people is that they rarely have two bad days in a row. In this respect, they are unique in rugby and perhaps even in sport. The lowest the All Blacks have had in the official world rankings is fifth (August 2022); before that, the lowest they’ve ever been was third – third is a dream for most rugby nations. This tour South Africa is another proof of their excellence. With what many would consider a fairly average playing squad, given their history of individual brilliance, they matched the Springboks in a series of Test matches that will live long in the memory. That’s not to say they matched the Boks in every aspect of the game – they didn’t. The Boks’ scrum, for example, far surpassed the Kiwis’. But New Zealand they made up for that by handling the ball so silky it would win the nod from even the toughest silkworms.
No one in world rugby executes the first three passes like the All Blacks and that is why they are able to counter attack from anywhere on the field. Each pass, especially by Cam Roigard and Ruben Love, is a perfect tight spiral that wouldn’t look out of place in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). Each flight of the ball ends up high in the chest and in front of the receiver. This means that when the All Blacks wide players receive the ball in the 15m channel, they hit it at 80% pace with the ball perfectly in the slot. You might think that this skill is given at the Level 1 test level. It’s not. When some other teams’ wide players get the ball in the 15m channel, they often receive a ball that looks like it was passed by a juggler from a low-budget circus. Yes, this is not the All Blacks team of old. But it doesn’t have to be. Even when New Zealand isn’t quite the best, it’s usually good enough.
Australia could soon have the best lock in the world
The title alone may suggest South Africans choking on their brandy and coke. But hear me out. The Wallabies have a great position in their team. His name is Josh Canham and he has the potential to be the best in the world. At 6ft 8in and 19 stone, he has the frame of a trial lock but the mobility and skill set of someone you’d expect to see in the NBA. Don’t let that fool you into thinking he’s some flashy giant who just likes to unload and shy away from contact—he’s not. Canham will tackle and level the holes until there is nothing between him and the horizon. But its acceleration and handling are what truly set it apart. Seeing him make contact is more reminiscent of a move forward into the paint than a lock making contact. When most locks simply look down, he’s head up.
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of his performance is that he is already starting to dominate Test matches at the age of 25, something most locks don’t do until their late 20s. The Wallabies haven’t had a lock with this skill set since John Eales, and they’re not a nation that tends to produce loads of quality locks. In that sense, Canham is probably the most important player in the Australian Test team, and he’s great to watch. Well played, Josh.
The Boks scrum is the best ever
Saying something is “the best thing ever” can seem juvenile – eg. “this is the best Power Ranger ever” or “these are the best chicken nuggets ever”. Well, so be it. If I have to take a baby doll and Don Paw Patrol pajamas, then I will: The sides have the best scrum ever. There have been many teams over the years with dominant scrums. There have been many scrum teams that can win a few penalties per game. There have been plenty of scrum teams that can bully sides at the bottom end of tier one and at the top of tier two.
But there has never been a team that can absolutely dominate any scrum in the world and take scrum penalties on demand like the current Bok team. They’ve elevated the role of the top three from a wish list to a must-have item. In a perverse way, they have almost made their scrum so dominant that it can occasionally become a hindrance. The first test against the All Blacks is a prime example. For 50 minutes, they had a scrum that laid golden eggs like a goose with gastroenteritis and decided to call for a yellow card when shots on goal (or a corner) were arguably the better option. But that shouldn’t detract from the fact that Rassie Erasmus, his coaches and his players have built the best scrum ever. And if you don’t agree, I’ll tell mom and dad.
The Lloyds sponsorship is great news for English rugby
People can sometimes get a little funny about the words and pictures on rugby shirts. This month, Lloyds Bank agreed to pay English rugby a pile of money to have the word Lloyds and a small image of a horse appear on the back of England’s men’s and women’s shirts. That one word and that little horse will bring in millions of pounds, but for some reason, some supporters aren’t too thrilled. It’s also great news for any fans whose surname is Lloyd, as it could save them £10 on a personalized England a shirt.
